5 Ways to Get Fit in 2008

One thing that I’ve enjoyed since starting my blog back in August is that I’ve met some really cool people, who also are interested in blogging about fitness and health. One person is Mark McManus, who usually drops by and leaves a comment or two. I like Mark’s writing style and his approach, so I check out his blog weekly. Well, today I came across a post that I had to share with you guys because I couldn’t agree more with all of the points he makes.

See for yourself and leave the brother a comment while you’re at it:

5 Ways to Get Fit in 2008

Stay tuned for more details on MLBF’s 12 week “In Search of Sandow and the Classic Male Physique” Body Transformation coming in a couple of days!

The Bells Are Back . . .

As I alluded to in a previous post, one of my kettlebells was stolen from the fitness center in my apartment complex. OK, let me back up to the beginning. In May of this year, I moved from a four bedroom/two bathroom house to a two bedroom apartment. I had to sell all of my weightlifting equipment (i.e., power rack, dumbbells, benches, etc.) because I simply did not have the space. So, after reading one of Pavel’s books, I became familiar with kettlebells and quickly ordered a set of 35lbers. I started using Mike Mahler’s Kettlebell Solution for Fatloss and Mental Toughness DVD, especially the High Frequency Training (HFT) Double KB routine.

Following Mike’s DVD, I was able to improve my technique and strength to the point that I needed to move from my 35lb KBs to a set of 54lbers. Since I live on the third floor, I decided to leave my KBs in the fitness center. Never in a million years did I expect someone to steal a 54lb. KB, but it happened! So, I was left with one 54lb KB since I gave my lighter KBs away. I decided that this would be a good time to take a break from KB training and try out bodyweight exercises wearing a weighted vest, and I’m glad that I did because now I’m going to combine both in my training. (more…)

KISS Your Old Routines Good-bye (Addendum)

KISS Your Old Routines Good-bye

In all of my composition classes, I stress to my students to remember the KISS principle in their writings. Well, at least my take on this acronym because I tell them that KISS stands for Keep It Sweet & Simple since I really don’t like calling people stupid.

It’s funny because I’ve been teaching this for over 10 years and never really applied it to my own life until a couple of years ago. I started reading more about how it’s better to learn fewer things well than many things half-assed, which I got from the strength and conditioning authors I’ve studied. I’ve tried complex split routines that you’ll find in most bodybuilding magazines; however, they were so complex and had so many sets to perform that I would simply give up on them especially since my main goal was weight loss and not becoming part of the sport of bodybuilding. (more…)

Do You Really Have A Slow Metabolism?

I think one of the biggest myths about weight loss is that overweight/obese folks have a slow metabolism. Hell, I use to claim this one all the time back in the day. It simply made sense to me. The majority of my family is overweight, so I just accepted the fact that I was genetically coded to be fat and cursed with a tortoise-like metabolism. Much like the whale in the comic strip, I just didn’t fully understand why I couldn’t lose weight.

Fellas, I know that you have read books, articles, and even other blog posts about how to speed up your slow metabolism for weight loss, blah, blah, blah. There’s so much confusion out there simply because most big boys simply take somebody else’s word for how to lose weight. Many of us simply want to be told what to eat and how to exercise without any active role on our part. Well, it’s time to ditch the “easy” way of thinking and passively sitting by while your girth increases. (more…)

My Daily Diet

Thank you to those of you who participated in my last poll. Well, I’m afraid that, like my workout routine, my diet is very simple. I mainly consume fresh cuts of meat, eggs, fresh green veggies, canned tuna (occasionally), nuts, and seeds. I eat shredded cheeses since I am, like most folks, lactose intolerant. I consume between 60 – 100 grams of carbs a day, and they mainly come from the veggies and nuts that I eat.

I don’t eat grass fed meats or organic veggies. I shop at the local market and understand the arguments. I plan on growing my veggies hydroponically as soon as the new LED grow lights are available. I’ll harvest my white button and portabella mushrooms in another week or so. I guess I’m really a gardener at heart. (more…)